KENESAW MOUNTAIN, October 7, 1864 - 5 p. m.

CORSE:

Lieutenant Ludlow* is here all O. K.

EWING.

ALLATOONA, October 7, 1864 - 8 p. m.

EWING:

Tell Ludlow to come to Cartersville tonight. I will be there.

CORSE.

KENESAW MOUNTAIN, October 7, 1864.

ALLATOONA:

Send back courier with full account of all matters of interest and as to road above.

SHERMAN.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Kenesaw, October 7, 1864.

General CORSE,

Allatoona:

I received your report. I have so high an appreciation of your services and those of your command, as also that of Colonel Tourtellotte and garrison, that I shall make the defense of Allatoona the subject of a general order. + I will move my army one step north tomorrow, and want you to exercise a general care over the operations from Allatoona as far as Kingston. I will so place my command that in one day's work they will replace all the ties burned between Allatoona and Kenesaw, and leave the laying of the iron to the construction party. We have 2,700,000 rations of bread in Atlanta, and can afford to await repairs. My infantry is now near Dallas and cavalry must be below it. General Garrard passed New Hope before noon, and General Kilpatrick at Powder Springs at 11. 30 a. m. Both are ordered to push the enemy and develop his route of movement. He is already too far south to make the Etowah bridge via Stilesborough. Still, too much care cannot be exercised. General John E. Smith should be down, and I will be much obliged if you can manage to send to Generals Thomas and Webster notice that Atlanta is safe in our possession; the new and contracted line finished and ready for defense, so that General Slocum can hold it against Hood's whole army. The bridge across Chattahoochee which was carried away by the freshet wil be done by tomorrow, and I will put 10,000 men at work at once to replace the ties burned by the enemy (35,000) and have the road ready for the iron by the time the construction train comes from the north. I want more news the north. I amost share the pain of your wound with you, but you know for quick work I cannhout you, and ask you, spite of pain, to keep you head clear and leave others to do your bidding. Your presence alone saved to us Allatoona the day before yesterday, but this does not detract from the merit of the others. Keep

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* This is the staff officer referre4d to in preceding message.

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+ See Part I, p. 771.